Large recreational vehicles face many of the same issues on the road that are common in the trucking industry -- like being able to turn around a big rig, making wide turns, and difficulty backing up, to name a few. That's why mapping software and GPS units can be lifesavers for RVers.

Picture this late night event... 
With nothing more then a general idea of where I was going, and an address jotted down on a scrap of paper, I was coming into New Orleans. My 1-ton truck with 40-foot gooseneck trailer had a total length of about 60 feet. I saw the exit that was labeled with the street name I was watching for at the very last second.

As soon as I got off the freeway, I knew I was in trouble.

When Jim and I get ready to go to a new place, I am the one who goes to the computer to plan a route for us.

I have the 2005 version of Microsoft Trips and Streets software, but there is a newer version published in 2008.

Here's why I like Microsoft Streets and Trips...

At this point we drive an RV only on occasion. (Jim is transporting another RV from Indiana to Canada as we speak.)

But we have friends who drive RVs a lot. And we definitely plan to do more of it once we find "the RV of our dreams".

Recently, one of our RV friends asked us: "What's the best GPS unit for RVing?"

My first reply was "the Harman/Kardon GPS unit we currently own."

We love it. But in fairness, it's really not designed to accommodate the needs of trucks or RVs.

By that I mean... on our last RV trip through Minneapolis, we decided to swing a last-minute (as in: "There's a sign... let's go!") to the Mall of America. But we nearly lost our rolled-up awning, took out a few tree limbs, and beat the antenna up a few times when we veered off course and tried to get ourselves back on track.

Why? Because the GPS said to take downtown streets -- and most of them were down narrow (and low-clearance) side streets!

What we really needed was a GPS unit that showed "truck routes".